Locking mechanism



Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES GEORGE B. SAMUELS, or BURLINGTON, KANSAS LOCKING MECHANISM Application filed June 1, 19 29.

This invention aims to provide a simple locking mechanism, of general application, but capable of being used on a switch: although the structure claimed is not confined to employment in the switch art.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows in plan, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts bei broken away;

in Figure 2 is a horizontal section through one of the supports;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the other support;

Figure 4 is a section of the line 4.4 of

Figure 2, the line 22 in Figure 4 indicating the cutting plane on which Fi ure 2 is taken;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 3, the line 33 in Figure 5 indicating the cutting plane on which Figure 3 was taken;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7+7 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows higure 8 is a section like Figure 4, but showing the parts in a different position;

Figure 9 is a section like Figure 5, but showing the parts in a different position, it being noted that Figures 8 and 9 are to be read ther, the same observation holding true with respect to Figures 4 and 5.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a box-like support 1, adapted to be mounted in a highway, crosswise of the highway, There are vertical guides 2 in the ends of the support 1, as Figure 5 will show, there being a slot 3 in the top of the support 1. An operating member 4 slides vertically in the slot 3 and has extensions 26 which slide in the guides 2.

The operating member 4 is in the form of a plate, and a bridge 5 (Figures 3 and 5) is secured to the lower edge of the operating member, at one end of the operating member. The bridge 5 is resilient, and is adapted to bear upon a pair of terminals 6 which are secured to one end of the support 1. The bridge 5 and the terminals 6 may be Serial No. 367,756.

referred to as a switch which is actuated by the operating member 4. The terminals 6 are mterposed in a normally open circuit 7, the numeral 8 designating any available source of electrical energy for the circuit 7. In the circuit 7 is interposed a signal :9, such as an electric lamp, located at any desired distance from the support 1.

The operating member or plate 4 is pulled up by retractile springs 10 (Figures 9 and 3) connected at their lower ends to the operating member 4, and at their upper ends to the support 1. The operating member4 is supplied .on one side with outstandin keepers 11, shown in front elevation in *igure 6 and in side elevation in Figure 5. The keepers 11, as disclosed in Figure 5, are wedge-shaped in cross-section, their thinned ends being disposed downwardly. A shaft 12 s journaled in the support 1 and haslatch fingers 14. When the operating member .4 1s raised, as in Figure 5, the latch fingers 14 bear against the slant surfaces of the keepers 11, as in Figure 5: but when the operating member is shoved .down, as in Figure 9, the 7 fingers 14 engage both keepers 11 to hold the operating member depressed. A strong re- ;tractlle spring 16 is connected to one side of the support 1, and to a dependent arm 15 on the shaft 12, and located within the support 1. There may be as many of the arms 15 and of the corresponding springs 16 as ,de sired.

The shaft 12 has a crank arm 17 that is located outside of the support 1 Figures 1 and 6). A connection 18 is joined pivotally to th c a k m l at on e d, he opposite end of the connection 18 being joined pivotally to an arm 19 on the shaft 20, journagled in a box-like support 21 located as far away from the support 1 as is desired. The arm 19 is located outside of the support 21, and the shaft 20 has arms 22 that are disposed within the support 21. It appears in Figure 8 that the arms 22 extend under an operating member 23, in the form of a plate, slidable vertically in a slot 24 in the top ,of the box-like support-21. The operating member or plate v23is pulled up by a pair of retractile springs 27, connected at their ,upper ends to shaft 20 is rocked, the external arm 19 on the support 21. Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that the operating member 23 has extensions 26a at its ends, like the extensions 26. These extensions 26a slide in guides 25 in the ends of the support 21, and when the extensions 26a arrive at the upper ends of the guides 25, the operating member 23 can be moved up no further, responsive to the springs 27.

Suppose that a vehicle is moving in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1 of the drawings. The vehicle goes over the pi ate t and shoves it down from the posit on of Fig- I ure 5 to the position of Figure 9, the springs 10 being stretched. When the plate 1 moves down into the position of Figure 9, the bridge 5 bears on the terminals 6 and closes the circuit 7, the lamp 9, or other signal, being put into operation, in order to inform the driver of a vehicle at a remote point, who is moving in the direction of the arrow B, that another vehicle, moving in the direction of the arrow A is crossing the support 1. Such a device is of use at blind corners, bridges, on sharp curves, and in many other places which will suggest themselves immediately to any one who has driven an automobile.

lVhen the plate 4 moves down from the position of Figure 5 to the position of Figure 9, the keepers slide off the ends of the latch fingers 14 of the shaft 12. The pull spring 16 rocks the shaft 12 and causes the latch fingers 14 to engage over the keepers 11, as in Figure 9, thereby to hold down the plate 4 and to close the circuit 7 through the terminals 6 and the bridge 5, the lamp 9 being kept lighted.

If the vehicle is moved in the direction of the arrow A through a distance represented by the length of the connection 18, the ve hicle runs across the plate 23 and pushes it down in the box-like support 21. When the plate 23 goes down, it engages the arms 22 and rocks the shaft 20, and when the the shaft pulls on the connection 18 and rocks the shaft 12 clockwise in Figure 5, through the instrumentality of the arm 17 (Figure 1). When the shaft 12 is rocked asaforesald, the latch fingers 14 are swung clear of the keepers 11 on the plate 4: as shown in dotted line in Figure 9, and the plate 4 rises to the position of Figure 5 under the action of the springs 10. As soon as the wheel of the vehicle is off the plate 23, the plate 23 rises, due to the pull of the springs 2?, the arms 22 swinging upwardly, the shaft 20 rotating counterclockwise, the connection 18 moving to the right in Figure 1, under the pull of the spring 26, and the latch fingers 14 swinging against the sides of the keepers 11, as shown in Figure 5.

Although the invention has been disclosed in a simple one-way form in Figure 1, it will be understood that by duplication, the

device may be adapted for two-way trafiic, or at a cross-road where there is traflic in opposite directions along intersecting lines.

WVhat is claimed is Locking mechanism comprising a box-like support provided in its top with a slot and having guides in its ends, a plate-1i ke member slidable in the slot and in the guides and provided on its side with a keeper located within the support, a retractile spring within the support and connected to the plate-like member and to the support to raise said member, a shaft journaled in the ends of the support, a latch finger within the support and mounted on the shaft, the finger being engageable over the keeper to hold the plate-like member depressed, the keeper having an inclined surface against which the latch finger presses when the plate-like member is raised, an arm on the shaft, a retractile spring connected to the arm and to the support to hold the finger against the inclined surface of the keeper when the plate-like member is raised, and to hold the finger engaged over the keeper when the plate-like member is depressed, the inclined surface of the keeper acting to increase gradually the tension of the last-specified spring, when the platelike member is depressed to enable the finger to engage over the keeper, mechanism for rocking the shaft to disengage the finger from the keeper, stop brackets on one end of the support, on opposite sides of the corresponding guide, and a cross piece on the lower edge of the plate-like member and engaging the brackets to limit the movement of the plate-like member when said member is depressed in the guides,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

GEORGE B. SAMUELS. 

